PTSDPost Traumatic Stress Disorder Megan Hallett, Sarah Martin, Nick Singletary, Paul Zelenak, Callie Ewen
What is PTSD?
·This disorder develops after being exposed to a horrifying event ·Physical harm may have occurred or could have been threatened ·Involve symptoms lasting more than a few weeks, seen as an ongoing problem. ·Sometimes, those suffering from PTSD do not show any symptoms for weeks or months. What Triggers PTSD? ·Violent, personal assaults ·Natural disasters ·Human disasters ·Accidents ·Military combat The History of PTSD ·During the early 1800’s, military doctors diagnosed soldiers with “exhaustion” from battle
·Soldiers were also diagnosed as being stressed and having mental breakdowns ·Prior to the Vietnam War, PTSD was not scientifically studied as often
·“Railway spine,” or “Railway hysteria,” were terms used in the early 1800’s in England similar to today’s term, “PTSD”
·The natural shock reaction caused the soldiers to become fatigued
·In 1876 Dr. Mendez DaCosta published a paper that diagnosed Civil War combat veterans with, "Soldiers Heart": The symptoms included in the paper consisted of startle responses, hyper-vigilance, and heart arrhythmias.
·During WWI overwhelming mental fatigue was diagnosed as "soldier’s heart" and "the effort syndrome".
·The term "shell shock" emerged during WWI followed in WWII by the term "combat fatigue." These terms were used to describe those veterans who exhibited stress and anxiety as the result of combat trauma.
·The official designation of "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" did not come about until 1980 when the Third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published.
·PTSD became a serious public health problem in the general population because of high amounts of assaults, rapes, child abuse, disasters, and severe accidental and violent trauma in civilian areas.
·It is estimated that PTSD affects more than ten million American children or adults at some point in their lives.
During the Vietnam war, talking or showing emotions was unacceptable. The only way to get rid of "PTSD" (before it was diagnosed) was to continue to go into the war. Symptoms of PTSD ·Feeling stressed or terrified even when they are no longer in danger ·Continual frightening thoughts and memories suffering dealt with ·Emotionally numb with people, especially with those who they were once close to ·Flashbacks- reliving the trauma over and over.Can cause one’s heart to begin racing and for one to being sweating ·Nightmares and/or Horrifying thoughts
·Certain words, objects, or situations can trigger re-experiencing ·Avoidance- staying away from places, events, or objects that can be seen as a reminder ·Strong feelings of guilt, depression, or worry ·Losing interest in activities that were once enjoyable
·Can have trouble remembering the dangerous event ·Hyper-arousal effects- usually constant: can be easily startled, feeling tense or “on edge”
·Difficulty sleeping ·Can have angry outbursts ·Can having trouble concentrating, sleeping, and
eating due to symptoms
·Panic disorder
·Depression ·Substance abuse
·Feeling suicidal Handling PTSD ·Psychotherapy ·Medications
·Treatments for people will vary because everyone copes and reacts differently
·Not recommended to handle on your own; One should seek additional help
·Medications are able to assist with sleeping patterns Examples of PTSD
Chapter 8, Page 51:
“To this day, I have an excellent photographic memory that enables me to remember details of the day-to-day moments of my life, indelibly.”
The tragedies that have occurred in Ishmael’s life have been planted into his mind for the rest of his life. What had happened in Ishmael’s life was so traumatizing and graphic. Moments so horrific will never leave Ishmael’s memory. Sometimes, memories are a traumatizing experience can be blurred, but it can also be planted into one’s mind when a situation is so visual.Flashbacks can occur. Chapter 8, Page 52:
"I decided to just ignore every thought that came to my head, because it brought too much sadness…I spent most of my time fighting myself mentally in order to avoid thinking about what I had seen or wondering where my life was going, where my family and friends were.” "I became restless and was afraid to sleep for fear that my suppressed thoughts would appear in my dreams."
(In the forest) Ishmael did his best to block out the memories of what had occurred in his life. If Ishmael started to think about his family, then he could become vulnerable and even more upset than he already was. Ishmael needed to be strong, even though the symptom of loneliness affects him.After fighting in battle, Ishmael begins to experience PTSD because he has been a part of a violent and traumatizing event. Chapter 17, Page 141:
“I began getting flashbacks of the first time I slit a man’s throat. The scene kept surfacing in my memory like lightning on a dark rainy night, and each time it happened, I heard a sharp cry in my head that made my spine hurt.”
Ishmael develops flashbacks, which is a common symptom of PTSD. When one goes through a graphic and horrific situation, it oftens sticks in the back of their mind forever, as seen with Ishmael. Chapter 17, Page 145:
“Other times the younger boys sat by rocks weeping and telling us that the rocks were their dead families.”
This is the time where all the soldiers begin to regret leaving their families. They did not know that the last times they spent with their families would be their last. All the pains of their families are reminded through inanimate objects such as a rock.
Chapter 17, Page 145:
“Boys sometimes ran out of the hall screaming, 'The rebels are coming.'"
This is showing their brains are not functioning the right way. Their brains have a complex, and always predict for the worst to happen. Chapter 17, Page 145:
“Other times the younger boys sat by rocks weeping and telling us that the rocks were their dead families."
A symptom that occurs once developing PTSD is for one to become delusional. For the boys to say that the rocks were their dead families, it shows that the boys do not really know what to think. They also are not totally clear of their surroundings, another symptom that develops with PTSD.
Chapter 17 Page 160:
"I tried to think about my childhood days, but it was impossible, as I began getting flashbacks of the first time I slit a man's throat…I rolled my head on the cold cement floor, but it didn't stop…I went to the shower room and put my head under the cold water, but that didn't help either…She gave me some sleeping tablets, but I still couldn't fall asleep, even after my migraine stopped…I couldn't face the nightmares I knew would come."
(In the Rehabilitation Center) Ishmael is getting help from the nurses, but this still is not enough to cure him completely. Whenever Ishmael is lonely he begins to think, and his loneliness overpowers him. Even when he is given medication to relieve him, Ishmael still has trouble sleeping because the awful circumstances he has been in have traumatized him.The difficulty with sleeping, depression, and feelings of being terrified are symptoms of PTSD that Ishmael is feeling.Ishmael could also be having trouble sleeping because he could be feeling tense and “on edge,” another symptom of PTSD. Chapter 17 Page 164:
"I turned to ask my brother what was happening, but he was gone…I held my ears to stop hearing them, but I began to feel their pain…Each time a person was stabbed, I felt it worse; I saw the blood dripping from the same part of my body as that of the victim…I was still confused, as I couldn't tell whether I had had a dream or not."
(Rehabilitation) Ishmael has not been taking the drugs.This causes him to be more aware of his surroundings. Ishmael now starts to think about the loss of his family and the guilt of killing people during war. The frightening moments that are triggered at times is a symptom of PTSD.Because Ishmael has been a part of so many horrific battles, he has flashbacks as well. Chapter 19 Page 184:
"A memory of a town we had attacked during a school dance had been triggered. I could hear the terrified cries of teachers and students and could see the blood cover the dance floor."
(The Pub) Ishmael was at the dance, having a good time. He danced with a girl, and then his PTSD took over him. Everything that seemed normal turned into a horror film.Often times, memories of horrific moments can be triggered at random times, a common symptom of PTSD. Additional Examples of PTSD
·PTSD can develop from situations other than those that are war-related. ·For instance, if one were to be in a serious car crash, they may avoid driving and being in cars for a while.
PTSDPost Traumatic Stress Disorder Megan Hallett, Sarah Martin, Nick Singletary, Paul Zelenak, Callie EwenWhat is PTSD?
· This disorder develops after being exposed to a horrifying event
· Physical harm may have occurred or could have been threatened
· Involve symptoms lasting more than a few weeks, seen as an ongoing problem.
· Sometimes, those suffering from PTSD do not show any symptoms for weeks or months.
What Triggers PTSD?
· Violent, personal assaults
· Natural disasters
· Human disasters
· Accidents
· Military combat
The History of PTSD
· During the early 1800’s, military doctors diagnosed soldiers with “exhaustion” from battle
· Soldiers were also diagnosed as being stressed and having mental breakdowns
· Prior to the Vietnam War, PTSD was not scientifically studied as often
· “Railway spine,” or “Railway hysteria,” were terms used in the early 1800’s in England similar to today’s term, “PTSD”
· The natural shock reaction caused the soldiers to become fatigued
· In 1876 Dr. Mendez DaCosta published a paper that diagnosed Civil War combat veterans with, "Soldiers Heart": The symptoms included in the paper consisted of startle responses, hyper-vigilance, and heart arrhythmias.
· During WWI overwhelming mental fatigue was diagnosed as "soldier’s heart" and "the effort syndrome".
· The term "shell shock" emerged during WWI followed in WWII by the term "combat fatigue." These terms were used to describe those veterans who exhibited stress and anxiety as the result of combat trauma.
· The official designation of "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder" did not come about until 1980 when the Third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published.
· PTSD became a serious public health problem in the general population because of high amounts of assaults, rapes, child abuse, disasters, and severe accidental and violent trauma in civilian areas.
· It is estimated that PTSD affects more than ten million American children or adults at some point in their lives.
During the Vietnam war, talking or showing emotions was unacceptable. The only way to get rid of "PTSD" (before it was diagnosed) was to continue to go into the war.
Symptoms of PTSD
· Feeling stressed or terrified even when they are no longer in danger
· Continual frightening thoughts and memories suffering dealt with
· Emotionally numb with people, especially with those who they were once close to
· Flashbacks- reliving the trauma over and over. Can cause one’s heart to begin racing and for one to being sweating
· Nightmares and/or Horrifying thoughts
· Certain words, objects, or situations can trigger re-experiencing
· Avoidance- staying away from places, events, or objects that can be seen as a reminder
· Strong feelings of guilt, depression, or worry
· Losing interest in activities that were once enjoyable
· Can have trouble remembering the dangerous event
· Hyper-arousal effects- usually constant: can be easily startled, feeling tense or “on edge”
· Difficulty sleeping
· Can have angry outbursts
· Can having trouble concentrating, sleeping, and
eating due to symptoms
· Panic disorder
· Depression
· Substance abuse
· Feeling suicidal
Handling PTSD
· Psychotherapy
· Medications
· Treatments for people will vary because everyone copes and reacts differently
· Not recommended to handle on your own; One should seek additional help
· Medications are able to assist with sleeping patterns
Examples of PTSD
Chapter 8, Page 51:
“To this day, I have an excellent photographic memory that enables me to remember details of the day-to-day moments of my life, indelibly.”
The tragedies that have occurred in Ishmael’s life have been planted into his mind for the rest of his life. What had happened in Ishmael’s life was so traumatizing and graphic. Moments so horrific will never leave Ishmael’s memory. Sometimes, memories are a traumatizing experience can be blurred, but it can also be planted into one’s mind when a situation is so visual. Flashbacks can occur.
Chapter 8, Page 52:
"I decided to just ignore every thought that came to my head, because it brought too much sadness…I spent most of my time fighting myself mentally in order to avoid thinking about what I had seen or wondering where my life was going, where my family and friends were.”
"I became restless and was afraid to sleep for fear that my suppressed thoughts would appear in my dreams."
(In the forest) Ishmael did his best to block out the memories of what had occurred in his life. If Ishmael started to think about his family, then he could become vulnerable and even more upset than he already was. Ishmael needed to be strong, even though the symptom of loneliness affects him. After fighting in battle, Ishmael begins to experience PTSD because he has been a part of a violent and traumatizing event.
Chapter 17, Page 141:
“I began getting flashbacks of the first time I slit a man’s throat. The scene kept surfacing in my memory like lightning on a dark rainy night, and each time it happened, I heard a sharp cry in my head that made my spine hurt.”
Ishmael develops flashbacks, which is a common symptom of PTSD. When one goes through a graphic and horrific situation, it oftens sticks in the back of their mind forever, as seen with Ishmael.
Chapter 17, Page 145:
“Other times the younger boys sat by rocks weeping and telling us that the rocks were their dead families.”
This is the time where all the soldiers begin to regret leaving their families. They did not know that the last times they spent with their families would be their last. All the pains of their families are reminded through inanimate objects such as a rock.
Chapter 17, Page 145:
“Boys sometimes ran out of the hall screaming, 'The rebels are coming.'"
This is showing their brains are not functioning the right way. Their brains have a complex, and always predict for the worst to happen.
Chapter 17, Page 145:
“Other times the younger boys sat by rocks weeping and telling us that the rocks were their dead families."
A symptom that occurs once developing PTSD is for one to become delusional. For the boys to say that the rocks were their dead families, it shows that the boys do not really know what to think. They also are not totally clear of their surroundings, another symptom that develops with PTSD.
Chapter 17 Page 160:
"I tried to think about my childhood days, but it was impossible, as I began getting flashbacks of the first time I slit a man's throat…I rolled my head on the cold cement floor, but it didn't stop…I went to the shower room and put my head under the cold water, but that didn't help either…She gave me some sleeping tablets, but I still couldn't fall asleep, even after my migraine stopped…I couldn't face the nightmares I knew would come."
(In the Rehabilitation Center) Ishmael is getting help from the nurses, but this still is not enough to cure him completely. Whenever Ishmael is lonely he begins to think, and his loneliness overpowers him. Even when he is given medication to relieve him, Ishmael still has trouble sleeping because the awful circumstances he has been in have traumatized him. The difficulty with sleeping, depression, and feelings of being terrified are symptoms of PTSD that Ishmael is feeling. Ishmael could also be having trouble sleeping because he could be feeling tense and “on edge,” another symptom of PTSD.
Chapter 17 Page 164:
"I turned to ask my brother what was happening, but he was gone…I held my ears to stop hearing them, but I began to feel their pain…Each time a person was stabbed, I felt it worse; I saw the blood dripping from the same part of my body as that of the victim…I was still confused, as I couldn't tell whether I had had a dream or not."
(Rehabilitation) Ishmael has not been taking the drugs. This causes him to be more aware of his surroundings. Ishmael now starts to think about the loss of his family and the guilt of killing people during war. The frightening moments that are triggered at times is a symptom of PTSD. Because Ishmael has been a part of so many horrific battles, he has flashbacks as well.
Chapter 19 Page 184:
"A memory of a town we had attacked during a school dance had been triggered. I could hear the terrified cries of teachers and students and could see the blood cover the dance floor."
(The Pub) Ishmael was at the dance, having a good time. He danced with a girl, and then his PTSD took over him. Everything that seemed normal turned into a horror film. Often times, memories of horrific moments can be triggered at random times, a common symptom of PTSD.
Additional Examples of PTSD
· PTSD can develop from situations other than those that are war-related.
· For instance, if one were to be in a serious car crash, they may avoid driving and being in cars for a while.
Works Cited
(2009, December 16). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
(June 2001). Military Veterans PTSD Reference Manual. Retrieved from http://www.ptsdmanual.com/chap1.htm
Real Warriors, Real Battle, Real Strength: Profile: Maj. Jeff Hall. Retrieved from http://www.realwarriors.net/multimedia